


A Few Firsts

by RainbowArches



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 11:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5625127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What it says on the tin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Few Firsts

The first time Poe meets Rey she’s sitting at Finn’s bedside. She was there as soon as the doctor’s let her in and hasn’t moved since. He can tell she hasn’t eaten or slept yet. He heard she parked herself outside the door and waited. It’s been hours. She hasn’t even washed the battle grime off her.

BB-8 is there, beep-purring reassuringly.

“I know he will.”

The droid whirrs.

“He is, isn’t he?”

The droid beeps again.

“Of course you are.”

Poe raps his knuckles on the door frame before stepping inside. BB-8 chirrups happily and rolls over to him, nudging his leg in greeting. “Hey buddy.”

Rey has bolted upright and is piercing him with a sharp gaze, as though sizing him up. “Poe Dameron?”

“That’s me.”

“I’m Rey.” She says her name like it’s a title, like it carries authority, which it does now. _Rey. I speak Droid. I knew Han Solo. I can fly anything. I used Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber on Kylo Ren. I’m Finn’s protector. Don’t come any closer._

“I know. I’ve heard a lot about you, Rey. It’s nice to meet you.”

He steps closer and extends his hand. She takes it with a smile that’s almost visible.

“And you. BB-8’s been telling me stories about you.”

“Uh-oh.”

BB-8 buzzes cheekily.

Rey sits back down. Poe pulls up a chair and sits next to her. They sit there in comfortable silence while Finn sleeps and machines assure them of his heart beat. At one point Rey reaches out and puts her hand on Finn’s head, thumb resting at his hairline as she pets him. Poe wants to touch him too, but it would feel… intrusive, somehow. This was Rey’s time. He’d have to wait his turn.

“So you can fly anything, huh?”

She looks at him, startled. “Who told you that?”

“Everyone.”

“Funny. I’ve heard the same about you.”

“I’d love to have you on me team, if you’re interested.”

She smirks bashfully. Poe didn’t think such an expression was possible but Rey manages it. “Maybe one day. I have something I need to do first. I’m just waiting for Finn to wake up before I go.”

“We don’t know how long that’s gonna take.”

Rey cast her eyes downward sadly. “Well then... I’ll see him when I get back. Then we’ll talk.”

 

That first day (two days? It was hard to tell. The tail end of what felt like a forty-eight hour day) was tough but after that it was easier to get Rey out of the hospital room. BB-8 did most of the convincing; the droid followed her everywhere and Poe didn’t think Rey minded as much as she let on. Poe couldn’t be there all the time but he would bring her food which she gobbled up in seconds, and he promised to stay with Finn while she showered. She was never gone for long though, and often they would spend a good couple of hours together at Finn’s bedside, talking or sometimes just sitting and waiting. But Rey can’t wait forever. Reluctantly she decides it’s time to find Luke Skywalker.

“I’ll look after him for you.” Poe says.

BB-8 chirps in agreement.

“I know you will,” Rey says as she packs. She doesn’t have a lot, but everyone’s given her things they thought she might need. Everyone wanted to make her journey as safe and comfortable as possible.

“Are you nervous?”

Rey shrugs, wanting to deny it, but she doesn’t. “I’m nervous he won’t be what I expect,” she admits.

“That’s okay. I bet you won’t be what he expects. You’ll be great.”

“I know.”

She’s full on smirking now, in that kind way that makes her eyes twinkle mischievously.

He spreads his arms out, inviting her in for a hug. She steps into it easily and they stand there with their arms around each other for a long time.

“You’ll be great,” he says again.

“I’ll be back,” she promises.

 

The first time Poe kisses Finn is kind of to reward him, but not really. Finn is always so proud of himself when he does something right and does it well. He’s like his own cheerleader, and he’s so enthusiastic that everyone else can’t help but cheer along. But learning to walk has been a hard, slow process. Finn has been very determined; still is. But he’s tired and frustrated. Poe isn’t surprised that Finn would feel like this sometimes. He _is_ surprised that he’d feel like this today. It was a good day; Finn made more progress today than he’d made on any other day, yet here he was in bed in the middle of the afternoon, staring gloomily into his lap.

Poe perches next to him and squeezes Finn’s knee. “You doing okay?”

“This is taking forever.”

“You’re doing great though. I bet you’ll be walking by the time Rey gets back.”

“She’s been gone a long time already.”

“She won’t be gone forever. And you won’t be at this forever. I promise.”

Finn meets his eyes, sees the smile on Poe’s face and smiles back. He sighs. “Why is everything so hard for me? Why can’t I be strong like you and Rey?”

“But you are. What you’ve done- what you’re doing now- takes a tremendous amount of strength. It’s hard and it’s taking a long time but you’re doing it anyway. You’re so strong, Finn.”

Finn is searching Poe’s face, wanting to believe what he sees and hears. Poe cups Finn’s face in his hands and plants a kiss on his lips. It’s not a reward exactly. Poe just wants Finn to know that he cares, that he’s cheering him on, that he believes in him, that it’s not hopeless. Poe just wants to give him something good that he believes.

“I’m rooting for you, buddy,” Poe says, because he can’t think of anything else to say.

Finn laughs, not meanly, and Poe feels giddy hearing it.

“Do that again,” Finn says, and Poe obliges with another kiss.

 

The first time Finn runs is when Rey comes back. He’s gripping Poe’s hand so hard he thinks it might be broken. It’s not, of course; Finn’s just excited. He’s practically bouncing. Poe’s excited too. He’s grinning so much his cheeks hurt, but he barely notices.

Rey steps off the Millennium Falcon, looking older, hardened, but still very Rey. She smiles when she sees them.

Finn beams and turns to Poe. Poe nudges him forward and then Finn is running to Rey. He scoops her up and spins him around. She clings to his shoulders, laughing. Poe can hear them babbling over each other. He can’t pick out a word either of them is saying but they don’t seem to have a problem understanding each other.

Finn leads her by the hand to Poe and introduces them.

“We’ve met,” Rey says, smiling up at him. She spread out the arm that isn’t attached to Finn at the moment. Poe steps into the hug.

“How’d you do?”

“Great.”

“What’d I tell you?”

Finn is looking back and forth between them, curious and pleased. “You can tell us about it over supper,” he says, leading them back in. “You’re probably starving.”

Rey offers her other hand to Poe and he takes it. They probably look silly, the three of them linked together like that, but they don’t care.

 

The first time the three of them share a bed it’s storming outside. Poe would have slept right through it if it weren’t for Finn and Rey. They’re huddled together at his doorway, silently asking for an invitation. Poe moves to the edge of the bed and lifts up the sheet, allowing them to climb in.

Poe already knows that Finn hates storms. This isn’t the first time he’s taken refuge in Poe’s bed, face in Poe’s chest. One of Finn’s ears is pressed against the bed so Poe covers the other one with his hand, blocking the noise of the thunder.

Rey loves storms. She’s sitting bolt upright, wide-eyed watching the light show through the window with a small smile, one hand resting on Finn’s arm, the other over Poe’s hand. Poe stays awake with her, loving the face she makes at every new crack of lightening.

Eventually it’s just rain, and Rey is too tired to stay up anymore so she crawls under the covers and throws an arm around Finn. She just reaches Poe’s shirt sleeve and she clutches it. They all fall asleep with a tight hold on each other.


End file.
